The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-18
SCHOONER BLOWN UP.
Explosion Of 100000 Pounds
of Giant Powder,
CLOSE TO THE GOLDEN GATE.
The Cliff House, Sutro's Conservatory
and Other Buildings Shattered
The Sound Heard 100 Miles.
A Terrible Disaster.

SAN Francisco, January 16.-At Mid :
right last night the Merchants Ex-
change received a telephone message
from Point Lobis Signal Station, that
the schooner Parallel had been driven
on the rocks near Golden Gate and
would probably prove total loss. An
hour later another message was received
| that an immense quantity OF Giant
powder aboard had blown up, destroy
! ing the Cliff. House and other buildings
! on shore in the neighborhood. Reporters
and police officers were hurrledly
despatched to the scene OF the disaster,
and the following particulars
were obtained: The Parallel sailed
on Friday last with q cargo
of neral merchandise for As
toria, Org. She proceeded north
until compelled by strong hesdwinds to
return, and reached the entrance to
Golden Gate yesterday evening. The
wind had died out, and being caught by
strong tide, the vessel was swept
ashore at the south end of Point LoboS,
hinslde the famous seal rocks, opposltc
the Cliff House. Life saving station
people near by were promptly. notified
and fastened to the scene OF the wreck.
The captain and all hands aboard hao
taken to. the boats, but as it was impos-
sible for them to make landing in the
heavy surf running, they stood away
for the entrance to the harbor. Alter
being abandoned the vessel drifted
south into a small cove, where she
pounded against the rocks, and at mid
night, was rapidly breaking up. 1t was
known that she had large quantity OF
powder aboard, but no danger was ap-
pref ended. Men from the life saving
station, seeing nothing could be done,
and knowing the schooner had been at
andoned by the officers and crew, with
drew at few minutes before l O'Clock
from the scene. They had hardly
reached the station building, when a
fearful explosion occurred, scattering
destruction on all sides. The schooner,
in beating against the rocks, had cause d
the powder 10 ignite and the enme
QUANTITY. aboard, nearly 10000
bounds, had. exploded. To those livir &
in the neighborhood, the effect wos
frigbtful Tie signal station as COM
pletely demolished, the life saving sta
ton was also wrecked. and the west size
of the Cliff House, not withstandlng It's
elevation, as blown out and every win
dow pane in the building broken. The
large concert room on the beach, and
other buildings lower down had all the
windows broken and were other
wise more or less damaged.
A long carriage shed adjoining the Cliff
House, was tumbled into q mass of
ruins. Adolph Sutro's Conservatory on
the heights above was shattered to
atoms and all the windows in bis house
were broken. Three members of the
10
the beach and decided to remain near
the wreck, were hurled in the air by the
COL cussion and severely injured by
being again dashed to the earth. The
remaining members of the crew, who
had returned to the station, rushed to
the rescue of the injured. as it was
feared their close proximity to the
explosion must have resulted to their
injury. They carried them TO the
station, where medical attention was
summoned and everything necessary
to relieve their injuries was done. One
of them, Horace Smith, had his limbs
sofIightfully disjoInted as to make his
sufferings intense. For a time his life
was despsired of. The two others,
Charles Rogers and John Wilson,
escaped less seriously.
Captain Haystop. In command of the
life saving station, describes the explo-
sion as follows: At O'Clock sleepers
were thrown from their beds by a great
explosion which upheaved the Cliff;
tidal wave swept up from the
Pacific; a great wave dashed
up and vaulted over the Cliff House
building, the whole shore and the Cliff
literally trembled and shook las no earth
quake has shaken the earth for years.
People were rudeiy thrown from their
beds by the force of the explosion;
furniture and bedsteads were tossed
and heaped about the room.
The famous Cliff House presents a
scene of beggaring description. The
west side of the building, overlooking
the ocean, is completely ruined, being
only held together by cross beams; the
windows were smashed, doors twisted
off the hinges, and the house left in
such. a shattered condition, that
it will have to he taken down,
what is lett of it, even if it does
not topple over into the ocean.
AS nothing had been seen or heard OF
the captain and crew of the schooner up
till to-day's light fears were entertained
for their safety. These, however, were dis
sipated on their arrival this morning
on ferry boat from Saucelito. On
taking to the small boat the tide was so
strong that they were Carried to Sauce
Tito before they could make landing.
The captain could not be seen, but
Peter Hansen, one of the seameu, made
the following statement tonight:
When the captain realized the danger of
his position, he cast anchor, butt would
not hold. As soon as the schooner
struck and knowing the dangerous
character of the cargo, he ordered out
the boat and all left the vessel. As it
was impossible to make landing
through the surf, the captain ordered
the boat headed for Golden Gate and
the tide carried them toSaucelito. The
powder was shipped by Bandmaun,
Nelson & Co., of this city, and was in
tended for railroad construction pur-
poses. The vessel was literally obiiter-
ated, few pieces of floating wreckage
beng all that can be seen. 1t was val
ued at $1,000; owned by S. B. Peterson,
of this city; insured for IS, 800. The ex-
pioslon was so terrific and occurring
so close to Seal rocks, that il was sup
posed an immense number OF seals